Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 6/27/2016 + 1194 more book reviews

I've been reading Koontz for years dating back to the 90s when I read a lot of his earlier novels like Watchers and Shadowfires. Although I usually enjoy his books, some of them for me were real misses like the dreadful The Taking and others. Thankfully, I thought Ashley Bell was a gripping page-turner that I would recommend.

It's the story of Bibi Blair who is diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and only has a year to live. But then she has an astonishing recovery and based on a divination by an enigmatic woman discovers that she escaped death so she can save a life...the titular Ashley Bell. But what is she supposed to save her from? And who is Ashley Bell? Then Bibi gets drawn into a fast-paced track to try to rescue Ashley from a Hitler-like cult leader.

This novel contains many of Koontz' themes from prior novels including good versus evil and the powers of the imagination. Bibi has learned a trick from her grandfather, a former marine, on how to forget bad experiences and part of her journey is trying to rediscover what she has forgotten. Events in her past become important to her future and to helping her in quest to find Ashley Bell.

As I've said, the action in this novel moves at a very fast pace, as Bibi tries to rescue Ashley Bell. Then about 3/4 into the book, there comes a twist that I wasn't expecting and the novel moves into a very unexpected direction. Another Koontz novel that I would recommend.

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